By Bo Erickson
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. President-elect Donald Trump on Monday threw his support behind House Speaker Mike Johnson, who will stand for reelection to the top job this week with a slim Republican majority in the House of Representatives.
“Speaker Mike Johnson is a good, hard working, religious man. He will do the right thing, and we will continue to WIN. Mike has my Complete & Total Endorsement. MAGA!!!” Trump said in a post on Truth Social.
The House is scheduled to elect a speaker on Friday following the swearing-in of the new Congress. The endorsement from Trump was essential to Johnson’s hopes of maintaining the leadership position he assumed in October 2023.
The job puts him in a close working relationship with Trump, who returns to the White House on Jan. 20.
Thirty-four Republicans voted against Johnson’s stopgap funding bill in December, raising questions on whether some of them would support Johnson’s next bid for the speakership because they argued the legislation favored Democrats.
Republicans hold a 219-215 majority in the House, meaning the vote will be dependent on Republicans maintaining their unity.
Representative Victoria Spartz, a Republican, said on Fox News on Monday that she remained uncommitted, saying Johnson was afraid to bring up votes on fiscal legislation that could hamper Trump’s agenda.
“I can give him a chance, but I would like to hear from him how he’s going to be delivering this agenda,” Spartz said. She spoke before Trump posted his endorsement on social media.
(Reporting by Doina Chiacu; Editing by Caitlin Webber and Howard Goller)
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